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A review by imlaurenshelton
The Other Emily by Dean Koontz
3.0
An Unexpected Read
I enjoyed this mystery/suspense novel very much, at one point not being able to read it fast enough to satisfy my need to know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed that the novel was written in such a way that would reflect a pretentious author’s thoughts, with needlessly detailed descriptions of everyone and every thing and in a sesquipedalian manner. I truly enjoyed the element of crime in the mystery novel, though I never enjoy the disturbing details of these criminal acts, it definitely adds to the suspense and craving for answers. I could see this becoming a film, given an opportunity, it’s fairly similar to Age of Adeline in its very most basic plot - how does this young woman look like the woman I loved such a long time ago?
However, at one point I did slow down... when to my shock time travel had been woven into the story. As a Marvel fan, the rules laid out in Endgame have most closely related to my understanding and critique of time travel (though not completely followed in that film itself). You cannot go back in time to change your future because you would also be changing your own past. It would always create a new timeline or dimension - which would kind of cancel out the need for going back in time wouldn’t it? So when time travel is presented in this novel... I rolled my eyes. It seemed a lame attempt at spicing up the novel, which was already very intriguing and entertaining. The idea of clones was already presented, and assassins would have been fine to keep in, but the futuristic quality was seemingly unnecessary. Also, the author had the audacity to have us sympathize with Maddison/Anna only to kill her off. It’s okay for David to be sinister out of desperation but not Anna? Seems very unscrupulous to me, even though it was mentioned in the book that the pursuit of justice is subjective - was there no thought towards David’s pursuit and judgement towards these time travelers as being subjective?
Regardless, I did enjoy the book though it is not one I foresee myself picking up again. Truly, the time travel element ruined it for me. There are expletives and references to sexual harassment and assault in addition to consensual acts.
I enjoyed this mystery/suspense novel very much, at one point not being able to read it fast enough to satisfy my need to know what was going to happen next. I enjoyed that the novel was written in such a way that would reflect a pretentious author’s thoughts, with needlessly detailed descriptions of everyone and every thing and in a sesquipedalian manner. I truly enjoyed the element of crime in the mystery novel, though I never enjoy the disturbing details of these criminal acts, it definitely adds to the suspense and craving for answers. I could see this becoming a film, given an opportunity, it’s fairly similar to Age of Adeline in its very most basic plot - how does this young woman look like the woman I loved such a long time ago?
However, at one point I did slow down... when to my shock time travel had been woven into the story. As a Marvel fan, the rules laid out in Endgame have most closely related to my understanding and critique of time travel (though not completely followed in that film itself). You cannot go back in time to change your future because you would also be changing your own past. It would always create a new timeline or dimension - which would kind of cancel out the need for going back in time wouldn’t it? So when time travel is presented in this novel... I rolled my eyes. It seemed a lame attempt at spicing up the novel, which was already very intriguing and entertaining. The idea of clones was already presented, and assassins would have been fine to keep in, but the futuristic quality was seemingly unnecessary. Also, the author had the audacity to have us sympathize with Maddison/Anna only to kill her off. It’s okay for David to be sinister out of desperation but not Anna? Seems very unscrupulous to me, even though it was mentioned in the book that the pursuit of justice is subjective - was there no thought towards David’s pursuit and judgement towards these time travelers as being subjective?
Regardless, I did enjoy the book though it is not one I foresee myself picking up again. Truly, the time travel element ruined it for me. There are expletives and references to sexual harassment and assault in addition to consensual acts.